Nine ESU baseball players to compete in summer leagues

Friday

Jun 14, 2013 at 12:01 AM

EAST STROUDSBURG — East Stroudsburg University, coming off its first PSAC baseball championship since 1971 and its second trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament in three seasons, will have nine players competing in collegiate summer leagues over the next two months.

Staff reports

EAST STROUDSBURG — East Stroudsburg University, coming off its first PSAC baseball championship since 1971 and its second trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament in three seasons, will have nine players competing in collegiate summer leagues over the next two months.

Two players will be competing in the American Baseball Confederation Collegiate League (ABCCL) in sophomore pitcher Brandon Holup for the Jackson Thunder, and senior shortstop Eric Linares with the Toms River Hurricanes.

Sophomore outfielder John Armbrust will make the trip to South Carolina to play for the Bay Frogs in the Myrtle Beach Collegiate Summer Baseball League.

Senior outfielder Chris Knott, a consensus All-Region first team selection and a member of the NCBWA honorable mention All-America team, will compete in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League with the Elmira Pioneers.

Knott and Lubreski were two of the Warriors' four All-Region selections this spring, part of a record-setting season in which ESU set a school record with 34 victories.

Knott led the Warriors with a .374 batting average, .472 on-base percentage, .632 slugging percentage, 25 extra-base hits (14 doubles, five triples, six home runs) and 46 RBI. He was second on the team with 37 runs and third with 17 stolen bases.

He ranked in the top 10 in the PSAC in nearly every offensive category, including fifth in batting average, fourth in on-base percentage, second in slugging percentage, tied for third in extra-base hits and tied for fourth in RBI.

Lubreski set a single-season record for wins, posting an 8-1 record with a 2.19 ERA, 49 strikeouts and 20 walks in 74.0 innings in his first year with the Warriors. A transfer from UMass, Lubreski was named to the All-PSAC East first team and all three All-Region teams.

Joe Bennie was ESU's third player selected in the MLB Draft in five seasons, going to the Oakland Athletics in the 28th round last weekend. He was first team All-PSAC East and an ABCA Atlantic Region first team pick at second base.

Brian Ernst, the first player in PSAC history with 200 career strikeouts and 200 hits, was the PSAC Tournament MVP and an All-PSAC East and All-Region selection at the utility position. All-conference honors also went to outfielder Eric Boyer and designated hitter Mike Tenaglia.

ESU has 143 wins, three PSAC Tournament and two NCAA Tournament appearances in the last five years, the best stretch in school history.